2013 Côte-Rôtie La Turque Côte-Brune Guigal

Nez plus lacté. En bouche, on monte en fermeté tout en conservant une attaque veloutée. Le vin s'impose par son corps et sa structure. C'est une vraie Brune, avec des mèches blondes. Elle offre du relief, mais elle est encore un peu dispersée.

Sample taken 10 days ago. Sumptuous and gorgeous, glowing with health and vivacity. Leather toffee, if such a thing existed! Really impressive. The sample probably held up better because from the Côte Brune. Drink 2021-2040 .

An air of deep-set complexity. Plenty of baking spices and toastiness with blackberry, pepper, wet stones and concrete. Extremely complex and fragrant. The palate delivers a supple, plush and luxuriant texture with masses of sweet spices and succulent blackberry fruit. Dark chocolate finish that's elegant and concentrated. Drink now and for two decades at least.

A step up over the La Mouline, the 2013 Côte Rôtie La Turque is concentrated, full-bodied, and structured, with lots of minerality, chocolate, and pepper nuances in its darker berry fruits, cassis and bacon fat aromas and flavors. With a great mid- palate, building tannin, and the more tight, austere style of the vintage, give bottles another 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.

According to the Guigal's, the 2013 Cote Rotie La Turque has a similar level of dry extract to the 2010 (after that, the 2012, followed by the 2011). Inky purple in color, with masculine notes of crushed rock, cracked pepper, bacon fat, scorched earth and concentrated dark fruits, it has a stacked mid-palate, but is certainly holding things closer to the vest than either the 2011 or 2012. It has a classic style and I suspect will require a decade of cellaring to become approachable.

Made with 50 percent whole clusters) Inky ruby. Bright, intensely perfumed aromas of red and blue fruits, Indian spices and potpourri are energized by a smoky mineral quality. Juicy, focused and pure, displaying deeply concentrated but lively boysenberry and cherry liqueur flavors, along with hints of candied flowers and five-spice powder. Echoes the floral and spicy notes on the strikingly long, penetrating finish, which features harmonious tannins and a hint of bitter chocolate.

A stunning, modern-styled version, with scintillating raspberry purée, plum confiture and blackberry reduction flavors gliding over velvety but copious tannins. Alluring warm ganache and fruitcake accents gild the finish, which sails on and on. Best from 2020 through 2045. From France.-J.M.